Earlier this year, Holley introduced a Bluetooth companion module for the popular Sniper 2 retrofit EFI system, along with a convenient smartphone app for iOS and Android mobile devices. Now the app has been extended to the point where it all but matches the functionality of the Sniper 2’s traditional PC control software and the in-car monitoring potential of the existing 3.5-inch handheld display. Even before the latest updates, the app already had the configurable gauges of the data monitor function, as well as extensive tuning functions and setup wizards for a Sniper or transmission controller.

Dashboard Mode

The first of three important new features is a standalone Dashboard that’s separate from the Monitor screen. It comprises two large gauges that default to displaying RPM and Air-fuel ratio (AFR) but are configurable to show data from a huge range of channels, from Battery voltage to Line pressure PSI or Speed. Between the gauges are four additional, configurable readouts for monitoring items like AC shutdown or Manifold air temperature (MAT).

“The gauges are fully configurable,” confirms Holley software development engineer, Ryan Witte. “Aside from changing the channel, you can set minimums, maximums and the unit increments on each gauge. You can also turn on warnings to make a yellow or red LED flash when the reading hits a certain threshold, such as an RPM limit. It’s a higher-definition display than on the 3.5-inch screen and, I think, a more polished experience.”

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Data Logging and File Management

The two other important new features, Logging and File Management, work hand in hand. Firstly, it’s now possible to log data with the app. Clicking the Logging option from the main menu reveals a logging setup screen that enables you to log data in two ways. You can either collect data based on a timer, in which case the app will record for as long as you tell it to after pressing the start button, or in a triggered mode. In this mode, the user instructs the app to wait for a channel to reach a certain threshold and then start recording until it is stopped either manually or by a timer.

“Data logging is useful anytime you want to improve the tune or see what’s going on with the car if you’re having an issue – anytime you want to see what the car was doing at a specific point,” says Witte. “One example is in drag racing when you’re tuning for wide open throttle. You might set a triggered log to kick in when the throttle position sensor (TPS) is about 50% and set the timer for 30 seconds.”

After making the run, the next new feature to use would be File Management. The Logging feature creates a DLZ file, which is the standard log file format used by the 3.5-inch screen or the Sniper PC software. The difference here is that the file can be shared in the same way that you might share any other file from your smart mobile device – via email, text, AirDrop, Facebook message, WhatsApp or even Snapchat. Just head to the Settings menu and find the correct file in the Logs submenu, then send it to your home computer, to your tuner, or to anyone else.

The File Management feature in the app performs many of the same functions as any regular file-handling software, meaning files can be viewed as a list or as icons, or renamed or deleted, too.

“On the tuning side, File Management means you can not only send a tune to someone, but also import a tune from somewhere else,” notes Witte. “If someone were to text you the tune from their mobile app, you would just import it into the app and then be able to load it right into your vehicle. Our many customers who deal with a remote tuner are now able to simply send the current tune and a log from the app. Then, when the tuner sends back a revised tune, they can load it right in through the app.”

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Tuning Through the App

The Sniper 2 app’s extensive tuning options remain alongside the new features. Simple and advanced modes cater for all users. Anonymized analytical data collected by Holley shows that setting idle speed, timing and target AFR are the most popular options on an entry-level EFI like Sniper 2. “We keep in mind that we have two main types of users and make sure that we accommodate them both,” Witte expands. “That means anyone in between will also be taken care of. We want to make sure that the first-time user has the cleanest, easiest experience possible. That’s why we have dropdowns that hide the more advanced and less-often-used settings, so that you don’t get overwhelmed by things you may not ever use.

“We want someone who doesn’t want to open the software to be comfortable using it: they know that EFI has some advantages, and they want to try it, but they don’t want to learn about it – they just want to bolt it on and have it work. For them, we want to minimize button presses, engineering talk and other technical aspects. At the other end of the spectrum we have the power user, who wants to be able to configure anything and everything, just the way they want. For example, all the Acceleration Enrichment tables are present in the tuning section of the mobile app. The power user who wants their tip-in to be perfect may tune every table.

“For those power users, after the introduction of these new features, the only remaining limiter with the app is the screen size and touchscreen interface, which makes dealing with large tables difficult. Beyond that we have tried to make as much available in the app as we reasonably can.”

Witte concludes by saying that, while software development is never finished, the Sniper 2 app is now complete in terms of its features. But Holley is always looking for ways to improve its products, so users are invited to report glitches and suggest other improvements by contacting the development team through the app – just go to Settings and hit Bug Report, which opens an email to [email protected].

Shop Holley Sniper 2 EFI Systems Now

Shop Holley Sniper 2 EFI Systems Now